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Lawmakers reject specialty tag for rivers

DENVER — A special Colorado license plate saying “Protect Our Rivers” has been rejected by a Republican House committee because the tag would raise money for Trout Unlimited.

Trout Unlimited is a conservation group that sometimes clashes with development interests over water habitat. The House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee voted 6-5 Monday against the “Protect Our Rivers” tag.

Trout Unlimited agreed that money from the $25 additional tag fees would be banned from going for lobbying or litigation. But members of the Republican-controlled committee feared that despite the limit, tag fundraising would allow Trout Unlimited to spend more on those activities.

Trout Unlimited said it had hoped to raise $75,000 over three years with the tag, which would have showed a blue stream cutting through snow-capped mountains.